Comparing Browser Response to Active Client Pages

Here I give you all the results for the five major browsers. I will also explain why you should not make calls from the document phase into the window phase and vice versa. I will go on to tell you how each of the browsers behave when you have only the document phase without having it incorporated into the window phase.

Internet Explorer 6

If you do not make calls from the document phase into the window phase and vice versa then you should not have any problem using Internet Explorer 6 and above for ACP. Of the five browsers we have considered, Internet Explorer 6 gives the best response.

Mozilla Firefox 2

There are two problems with Mozilla Firefox: the indicators, which are supposed to show that the opening process of a window is complete, falsely continue to indicate that the opening process is on when it has ended. When the document phase is incorporated into the window phase, the documents in the document phase become superimposed. If the document phase is on its own (not incorporated into the window phase), there is no superimposition and the indicators behave correctly.

Netscape 8

The results for this browser were the same as for Mozilla Firefox with an additional problem. All of the windows opened in one window frame, sharing the same title bar as well as the same menu and other bars. Netscape 8 identifies the windows by tabs below the personal toolbar.

Opera 9

The main problem with this browser is that it cannot enter the document phase. You can use the window phase successfully with it.

Safari 3

Safari 3 does not respond to ACP. When you have only the document phase, Safari 3 does not respond to it. It does not respond to the window phase either.